Gang of Four Hardcover Book

Price: $25.00

“A wry and riveting account, rooted in Seattle's civil rights movement, of the friendships between four iconic leaders of the Asian American, Native American, African American and Latino communities which had a lasting impact on their communities, multi-racial unity and the movement for social justice in Seattle and beyond.”
-Diane Narasaki, Executive Director - Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Seattle

It was the sixties. Nationally, the civil rights movement took center stage. Marches, sit-ins, demonstrations, and inner-city riots were taking on the powers that be not only in the south but across urban centers throughout the country. Now, picture the scenic forests and serene areas of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, a great place to live and raise a family, was slowly finding itself in a state of political unrest. The civil rights movement was coming to the Pacific Northwest.

This is a story of how a Native American, a African American, a Latino American, and a Asian American, from different backgrounds, came together to form a powerful political alliance. Known as the Gang of Four or the Four Amigos or the Fabulous Four, our story needed to be told. It is a story of civil rights success. It is a story that describes how each of us became politically conscious.

It is a story of political camaraderie and friendship. Seattle’s Gang of Four changed the face of the city in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s by bringing four ethnic groups together in battle against city, county, and state powerbrokers over development, poverty, fishing rights, and gentrification. The four leaders quickly learned that working together provided greater results than working apart.